GAMES WE LOVE
Alto's Adventure
Up in the mountains, there’s a quiet after a snowstorm, as if the thick cottony blanket of pure white snow is absorbing all sound. Your every movement seems ultra loud, even if it’s just the gentle hiss of your snowboard over the cold, crystalline duvet. These are the moments when you can hear your own heartbeat, when life is truly peaceful.
Even if you’ve never been up in the mountains, even if you’ve never seen a snowflake, you can create that peaceful feel in a secret mode of Alto’s Adventure, aptly called Zen mode.
When you first play the game, you may be struck by how natural it is to play, with its easy, accurate controls and set to a stirring soundtrack and painterly graphics. You’ll feel like a dauntless snowboarder on a mission: to catch up to your escaped llamas and collect some coins in the process, avoiding pesky rocks and chasms, all while trying to meet increasingly harder challenges. As the sun sets, the gloaming sets in and you play through the night, things might seem a little sombre. But just keep playing; the sun will rise again.
But if you find the gameplay a little stressful, or you don’t like Alto getting hurt and having to start another run, just swipe right across your screen from the main menu. Then breathe out—you’re in Zen mode.
Long-time Alto’s Adventure fans have told the game’s Toronto-based makers, Snowman, that Zen mode has changed their lives. One fan told Snowman, “When I’m on the brink of breaking down, Alto’s Adventure is there. Nothing brings me peace like the calming sounds and music of your game (especially Zen mode). I think you ought to know that there’s someone out there, keeping his strength because of the artwork you created.”
When I’m on the brink of breaking down, Alto’s Adventure is there. Nothing brings me peace like the calming sounds and music of your game (especially Zen mode). I think you ought to know that there’s someone out there, keeping his strength because of the artwork you created.
- Alto's Adventure fan
Other fans have written in about how Alto’s Adventure helped them recover from injury. “I hurt my back three weeks ago, so I spent a lot of time in hospital, resting and on medication,” says another fan. “You have created something wonderful that has helped me mentally relax and recover, and I will always remember that this game helped me at this time in my life.”
For fans with anxiety, Alto’s has been a way to cope. “During my last deployment I developed anxiety and ADHD. I was sitting in a waiting room and I could feel my anxiety growing like a train coming down the tracks. I picked up my phone and put on my headphones, and there was your game. The screen showed your logo and then… The sound of rain showers! And a light piano. The sounds overthrew my heartbeat and relaxed that train in my mind.”
While Alto’s Adventure has certainly become an App Store classic, and new fans of the game are trying it every day, more adventures for Alto may not be far off. For now, practice your snowboard tricks and learn how to jump and pick up speed—don't let those llamas get away.